Cowboys Gameday: Week 3

Bears at Cowboys

The Cowboys have amassed a winning streak for the first time since the first two games of the 2015 season and snapped an eight-game home losing streak. Dak Prescott continues to shine.

A loss would mean ...

Dallas slipped up against a previously winless Chicago team expected to play with a backup quarterback and desperate to avoid starting 0-3. It would extend the home losing streak to nine games.

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SportsDay’s Picks

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t lived up to the expectations that were set for him when he was drafted fourth overall, averaging only 67 yards a game through his first two games and fumbling twice against the Redskins. (Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer)

Brandon George: This vaunted Cowboys’ offensive line hasn’t thrown its best punch yet. That will change in front of a national TV audience on Sunday Night Football against Chicago. Rookie back Ezekiel Elliott will have his best game yet because the Cowboys’ front five overpowers a Chicago defense that is even more vulnerable after it lost OLB Lamarr Houston for the season last week. The Cowboys’ offensive line struggled at times the first two weeks against the Giants and Redskins. Though the rushing lanes widened some Sunday against Washington, the Cowboys still allowed four sacks. The pass protection and run blocking will be better against the Bears. Cowboys 27-16

Kate Hairopoulos: Chicago is bringing in backup quarterback Brian Hoyer in place of injured Jay Cutler. It’s not like things were going so hot, anyway. Through their first two games, both losses, the Bears are averaging 14 points and 271.0 yards per game, which rank 30th and 31st in the NFL. Facing another struggling offense is welcome news for a Cowboys defense that could build confidence against Chicago and is expected to start the game with newish looks on the defensive line and at middle linebacker that worked well late in the win at Washington. Chicago receiver Alshon Jeffery did not practice Thursday and is dealing with a knee injury. Cowboys 27-17

Jon Machota: Ezekiel Elliott has 134 rushing yards through two games. Based on expectations entering the season, some probably thought Elliott would have 134 yards in the first game alone. To be the team’s bell-cow back, Elliott must hang onto the football and be more patient as a runner. He’ll do both Sunday, helping the Cowboys run out the clock in the fourth quarter. The fourth overall pick in this year’s draft will record his first run of 30 or more yards en route to his first 100-yard game. The Bears have allowed 229 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns through two games. Cowboys 28-20

David Moore: There’s a growing sense that the Cowboys should handle Chicago without any problem. After all, the Cowboys have lost 13 of their last 16 games and are hosting the Bears in a stadium where they haven’t won in more than a year. How could they not win? The win over a winless and disjointed Washington team may have elevated expectations too much. Sure, the Bears don’t appear to be a tough opponent given their injuries and early performance. But can anyone say with certainty that these Cowboys are a good team? It’s a game Dallas should win. But win easily? The Cowboys haven’t won enough to make anyone think this will be easy. Cowboys 27-23

Tim Cowlishaw: The Ezekiel Elliott Era gets untracked just in time as the Bears' Brian Hoyer manages to find holes in the Dallas defense. Cowboys, 26-21.

Rick Gosselin: Bears lack talent on offense and bodies on defense. The right opponent at the right time for the Cowboys to snap their eight-game home losing streak. Cowboys 27-16

Barry Horn: The home losing streak is history. Dak Prescott throws his first NFL TD. Zeke Elliott has his first 100-yard game. Monday is a holiday in North Texas. Cowboys 28-14

Kevin Sherrington: For the second week in a row, the Cowboys have the better quarterback. Cowboys, 27-20

You make the call

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Bob Sturm’s scouting report

SituationEdgeIn the know

When the Cowboys run the ball

Edge

The Cowboys have underwhelmed those who expected them to run over every opponent in the first two weeks. Ezekiel Elliott has not gotten out of the gates terribly strong. The Cowboys average 3.38 yards per carry, which will not get it done, but we expect that number to grow with the Bears without injured defensive stars Eddie Goldman and Danny Trevathan on Sunday.

When the Cowboys pass the ball

Edge

After a season of the Cowboys struggling on third down, they expected more of the same without Tony Romo. Instead, Dak Prescott has the Cowboys up with the league leaders on the money down. The offense has already converted seven third-and-long (8 yards or more) situations after making only 15 all last season. Against a Bears secondary that features young Jacoby Glenn and a declining Tracy Porter, the Cowboys are expected to move the ball.

When the Bears run the ball

Edge

The Bears have had a difficult time building a proper group amidst injuries and retirements. Adding Cody Whitehair in the draft and Josh Sitton at the end of camp greatly helps the interior, but the early returns on the running game have been poor. Still, they should be able to run on the Cowboys’ front.

When the Bears pass the ball

Edge

It seems unlikely that we’ll see Jay Cutler and perhaps even Alshon Jeffery because of injuries, so that means Brian Hoyer to Eddie Royal and the largely unproven Kevin White. If Dallas has an opponent that it should have great defensive confidence against, it should be this matchup.

Special teams

Edge

Robbie Gould is gone and replaced by Connor Barth, who missed his only field goal attempt to this point. Eddie Royal is a threat in the punt return game, but Dallas should have an advantage with Chris Jones and Dan Bailey being above average in the kicking game.

Intangibles

Edge

For the second straight week, the Cowboys get to play a team on a short week with the Bears coming off a Monday night loss against the Eagles. The Bears also have a number of players injured, so an undermanned opponent comes to AT&T Stadium licking its wounds. Meanwhile, the Cowboys can’t afford to lose this game with a tough stretch awaiting them.

Bob Sturm’s spotlight

The Bears, a team in massive transition the last few years, have had a difficult time getting any traction since they moved on from GM Jerry Angelo after the 2011 season and then head coach Lovie Smith one year later.

Then the Bears fired their replacements, GM Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman, after the 2014 season. That led them to Flower Mound’s Ryan Pace in January 2015.

One week into the job, Pace recruited former Broncos coach John Fox. Pace has local ties that includes playing for Flower Mound Marcus and Eastern Illinois, the school that produced Mike Shanahan, Tony Romo and Sean Payton. Pace was teammates for one season with Romo in college, then was hired as a scout with the New Orleans Saints in 2001. In 2013, he was named the Saints’director of player personnel.

Now, it is Pace’s job, along with Fox, to build a new power in Chicago, ushering out familiar names like Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte, Martellus Bennett, and we would expect before too long, Jay Cutler. There is plenty to rebuild and it appears the work will take awhile ... Fox and Pace have dropped 12 of their first 18 games running the team.

Sturm’s prediction: Cowboys, 27-17. There are games you can’t afford to lose and this would be one of them. Expect a balanced offensive attack that pounds the rock with Ezekiel Elliott against a toothless opponent that will need a big break to stay in the game.